The Soldier's Scoundrel (The Turner Series, #1)

by Cat Sebastian

In the library Oliver wrote a letter to his sister while Jack reviewed his notes, spreading his cards out on an empty table. “That reminds me,” Oliver said, reaching into his pocket. “You could use this to store your cards. It’s sturdier than the string you use to tie them up, and you’d have less danger of any cards going astray.” He held out a silver calling-card case. “I couldn’t accept—” Jack started. “No, it’s nothing. I have another.” He didn’t look like he was lying. Abandoning his letter, he came over to Jack and perched on the edge of the table. Taking one of the cards, he placed it in the case. “It’s the right size.” Hell’s bells. The man sounded so proud of himself that Jack couldn’t bring himself to refuse the gift. “Thank you,” he managed. He took a good look at the case. It was very plain, thank God, with an engraved R as the only embellishment. “I thought you might not mind the monogram.” “I don’t.” And he didn’t. He had to stop his finger from absently tracing it. Instead he placed his hand on Oliver’s knee and gave it a squeeze. Oliver turned his attention back to the cards that sat on the table beside him. “You know, the other day I thought it looked like a hand of solitaire, the way you arranged the cards, but tonight it strikes me that tarot is the better comparison.” The wine had loosened Jack’s tongue, or maybe it was that he was being lulled into a false sense of security. Stupidly, so very stupidly, Jack wanted to tell Oliver all the sordid truths ab...